OrbitalHub

Wikipedia dixit:

“The Interplanetary Transport System (ITS), formerly known as the Mars Colonial Transporter (MCT), is SpaceX’s privately funded development project to design and build a spaceflight system of reusable rocket engines, launch vehicles and spacecraft to transport humans to Mars and return to Earth. SpaceX began development of the large Raptor rocket engine for the Mars Colonial Transporter before 2014. As of June 2016, publicly-announced company conceptual plans included the first Mars-bound cargo flight of ITS launching no earlier than 2022, followed by the first ITS Mars flight with passengers one synodic period later in 2024, following two preparatory research launches of Mars probes in 2018 and 2020 on Dragon/Falcon Heavy equipment. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk unveiled details of the space mission architecture at the 67th International Astronautical Congress on 27 September 2016. The booster will have a diameter of 12 m, the spaceship diameter will be 17 m and stack height of the entire vehicle will be 122 m. The selected fuel type is deep-cryo methalox for 42 Raptor engines on the booster and 9 on the spacecraft.

As early as 2007, Elon Musk stated a personal goal of eventually enabling human exploration and settlement of Mars. Bits of additional information about the mission architecture were released in 2011–2015, including a 2014 statement that initial colonists would arrive at Mars no earlier than the middle of the 2020s. Company plans as of mid-2016 continue to call for the arrival of the first humans on Mars no earlier than 2025.

Musk stated in a 2011 interview that he hoped to send humans to Mars’ surface within 10–20 years, and in late 2012 he stated that he envisioned a Mars colony of tens of thousands with the first colonists arriving no earlier than the middle of the 2020s. In October 2012, Musk articulated a high-level plan to build a second reusable rocket system with capabilities substantially beyond the Falcon 9/Falcon Heavy launch vehicles on which SpaceX had by then spent several billion US dollars. This new vehicle was to be “an evolution of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 booster… much bigger [than Falcon 9].” But Musk indicated that SpaceX would not be speaking publicly about it until 2013. In June 2013, Musk stated that he intended to hold off any potential IPO of SpaceX shares on the stock market until after the “Mars Colonial Transporter is flying regularly.”

In February 2014, Musk stated that Mars Colonial Transporter will be “100 times the size of an SUV”, and capable of taking 100 tons of cargo to Mars. Also, SpaceX engine development head Tom Mueller said SpaceX would use nine Raptor engines on a single rocket, similar to the use of nine Merlin engines on each Falcon 9 booster core. He said “It’s going to put over 100 tons of cargo on Mars.” In early 2014, it appeared that the large rocket core that would be used for the booster to be used with MCT would be at least 10 meters (33 ft) in diameter, nearly three times the diameter and over seven times the cross-sectional area of the Falcon 9 booster cores. In August 2014, media sources speculated that the initial flight test of the Raptor-driven super-heavy launch vehicle could occur as early as 2020, in order to fully test the engines under orbital spaceflight conditions; however, any colonization effort was reported to continue to be “deep into the future”.

In January 2015, Musk said that he hoped to release details of the “completely new architecture” for the Mars transport system in late 2015 but those plans changed and, by December 2015, the plan to publicly release additional specifics had moved to 2016. In January 2016, Musk indicated that he hoped to describe the architecture for the Mars missions with the next generation SpaceX rocket and spacecraft later in 2016, at the 67th International Astronautical Congress conference, in September 2016. Musk stated in June 2016 that the first unmanned MCT Mars flight was planned for departure in 2022, to be followed by the first manned MCT Mars flight departing in 2024. By September 2016, Musk noted that the MCT name would not continue, as the system would be able to “go well beyond Mars”, and that a new name would be needed: Interplanetary Transport System (ITS), with the first spacecraft named “Heart of Gold” in reference to the Infinite Improbability Drive.”

Video credit: SpaceX

Wikipedia dixit:

“Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) is a multipurpose spacecraft designed to conduct reconnaissance and exploration of Mars from orbit. The US$720 million spacecraft was built by Lockheed Martin under the supervision of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). The mission is managed by the California Institute of Technology, at the JPL, in La Cañada Flintridge, California, for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. It was launched August 12, 2005, and attained Martian orbit on March 10, 2006. In November 2006, after five months of aerobraking, it entered its final science orbit and began its primary science phase. As MRO entered orbit, it joined five other active spacecraft that were either in orbit or on the planet’s surface: Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Express, 2001 Mars Odyssey, and the two Mars Exploration Rovers (Spirit and Opportunity); at the time, this set a record for the most operational spacecraft in the immediate vicinity of Mars. Mars Global Surveyor and the Spirit rover have since ceased to function; the remainder remain operational as of March 2016.

MRO contains a host of scientific instruments such as cameras, spectrometers, and radar, which are used to analyze the landforms, stratigraphy, minerals, and ice of Mars. It paves the way for future spacecraft by monitoring Mars’ daily weather and surface conditions, studying potential landing sites, and hosting a new telecommunications system. MRO’s telecommunications system will transfer more data back to Earth than all previous interplanetary missions combined, and MRO will serve as a highly capable relay satellite for future missions.[…]

On September 29, 2006 (sol 402), MRO took its first high resolution image from its science orbit. This image is said to resolve items as small as 90 cm (3 feet) in diameter. On October 6, NASA released detailed pictures from the MRO of Victoria crater along with the Opportunity rover on the rim above it. In November, problems began to surface in the operation of two MRO spacecraft instruments. A stepping mechanism in the Mars Climate Sounder (MCS) skipped on multiple occasions resulting in a field of view that is slightly out of position. By December normal operations of the instrument was suspended, although a mitigation strategy allows the instrument to continue making most of its intended observations. Also, an increase in noise and resulting bad pixels has been observed in several CCDs of the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE). Operation of this camera with a longer warm-up time has alleviated the issue. However, the cause is still unknown and may return.

HiRISE continues to return images that have enabled discoveries regarding the geology of Mars. Foremost among these is the announcement of banded terrain observations indicating the presence and action of liquid carbon dioxide (CO2) or water on the surface of Mars in its recent geological past. HiRISE was able to photograph the Phoenix lander during its parachuted descent to Vastitas Borealis on May 25, 2008 (sol 990).

The orbiter continued to experience recurring problems in 2009, including four spontaneous resets, culminating in a four-month shut-down of the spacecraft from August to December. While engineers have not determined the cause of the recurrent resets, they have created new software to help troubleshoot the problem should it recur.

On March 3, 2010, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter passed another significant milestone, having transmitted over 100 terabits of data back to Earth, which was more than all other interplanetary probes sent from Earth combined.

On August 6, 2012 (sol 2483), the orbiter passed over Gale crater, the landing site of the Mars Science Laboratory mission, during its EDL phase. It captured an image via the HiRISE camera of the Curiosity rover descending with its backshell and supersonic parachute.

NASA reported that the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, as well as the Mars Odyssey Orbiter and MAVEN orbiter had a chance to study the Comet Siding Spring flyby on October 19, 2014.

On July 29, 2015, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter was placed into a new orbit to provide communications support during the arrival of the InSight Mars lander mission on September 28, 2016. The maneuver’s engine burn lasted for 75 seconds.”

Video credit: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Wikipedia dixit:

“ExoMars (Exobiology on Mars) Programme is an astrobiology project to investigate the past habitability environment of Mars and to demonstrate new technologies paving the way for a future Mars sample return mission in the 2020s.

The programme is led by the European Space Agency (ESA) in collaboration with the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos). The programme will search for biosignatures of Martian life, past or present, employing several spacecraft elements to be sent to Mars on two launches. The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) and a test stationary lander called Schiaparelli were launched on 14 March 2016. The TGO will deliver Schiaparelli lander in 19 October 2016, and then proceed to map the sources of methane on Mars and other gases. The TGO features four instruments and will also act as a communications relay satellite.

The Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) is a Mars telecommunications orbiter and atmospheric gas analyzer mission that was launched on 14 March 2016. The spacecraft will arrive in the Martian orbit in October 2016. It will deliver the ExoMars Schiaparelli EDM lander and then proceed to map the sources of methane on Mars and other gases, and in doing so, help select the landing site for the ExoMars rover to be launched in 2018. The presence of methane in Mars’ atmosphere is intriguing because its likely origin is either present-day life or geological activity. Upon the arrival of the rover in 2021, the orbiter would be transferred into a lower orbit where it would be able to perform analytical science activities as well as provide the Schiaparelli EDM lander and ExoMars rover with telecommunication relay. NASA provided an Electra telecommunications relay and navigation instrument to ensure communications between probes and rovers on the surface of Mars and controllers on Earth. The TGO would continue serving as a telecommunication relay satellite for future landed missions until 2022.

The Entry, Descent and Landing Demonstrator Module (EDM) called Schiaparelli, is intended to provide the European Space Agency (ESA) and Russia’s Roscosmos with the technology for landing on the surface of Mars. It was launched together with the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) on 14 March 2016 and will land on 19 October 2016. The lander is equipped with a non-rechargeable electric battery with enough power for four sols. The landing will take place on Meridiani Planum during the dust storm season, which will provide a unique chance to characterize a dust-loaded atmosphere during entry and descent, and to conduct surface measurements associated with a dust-rich environment.

Once on the surface, it will measure the wind speed and direction, humidity, pressure and surface temperature, and determine the transparency of the atmosphere. It carries a surface payload, based on the proposed meteorological DREAMS (Dust Characterization, Risk Assessment, and Environment Analyser on the Martian Surface) package, consists of a suite of sensors to measure the wind speed and direction (MetWind), humidity (MetHumi), pressure (MetBaro), surface temperature (MarsTem), the transparency of the atmosphere (Optical Depth Sensor; ODS), and atmospheric electrification (Atmospheric Radiation and Electricity Sensor; MicroARES). The DREAMS payload will function for 2 or 3 days as an environmental station for the duration of the EDM surface mission after landing”

Video credit: ESA/Roscosmos

ESA dixit:

“Animation visualizing milestones during the launch of the ExoMars 2016 mission and its cruise to Mars. The mission comprises the Trace Gas Orbiter and an entry, descent and landing demonstrator module, Schiaparelli, which are scheduled to be launched on a four-stage Proton-M/Breeze-M rocket from Baikonur during the 14–25 March 2016 window.

About ten-and-a-half hours after launch, the spacecraft will separate from the rocket and deploy its solar wings. Two weeks later, its high-gain antenna will be deployed. After a seven-month cruise to Mars, Schiaparelli will separate from TGO on 16 October. Three days later it will enter the martian atmosphere, while TGO begins its entry into Mars orbit.

[The second animation presents] The paths of the ExoMars 2016 Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) and the Schiaparelli entry, descent and landing demonstrator module arriving at Mars on 19 October (right and left, respectively). The counter begins at the start of a critical engine burn that TGO must conduct in order to enter Mars orbit. The altitude above Mars is also indicated, showing the arrival of Schiaparelli on the surface and the subsequent trajectory of TGO. The orbiter’s initial 4-day orbit will be about 250 x 100 000 km. Starting in December 2016, the spacecraft will perform a series of aerobraking manoeuvres to steadily lower it into a circular, 400 km orbit (not shown here).”

Video credit: ESA

Credits: NASA

ARES (or the Aerial Regional-scale Environment Survey) is an autonomous powered airplane. ARES will bridge the gap between remote sensing and surface exploration on Mars.

This new class of science will allow magnetic surveys with an improved resolution, geologic diversity coverage, and in-situ atmospheric science.

ARES method of deployment is unique because the robotic aircraft has to travel to Mars folded inside a protective shell. After the atmospheric entry and the parachute deployment, the heat shield that protects the aircraft during entry is released. Once the heat shield is out of the way, the folded aircraft leaves the protective shell. The unfolded tail will stabilize the tumbling aircraft. Finally, the wings will unfold and the aircraft will pull up from the dive.

It is needless to say that reliability is essential. All the mechanical systems of the aircraft that are involved in this maneuver must perform without any flaws, and that has to happen after spending six to eight months in vacuum at (more than) freezing temperatures. It is hard to imagine that ARES would be able to fly with a folded wing.

Credits: NASA

The ARES design is the result of five years of extensive analysis and testing. Testing has included wind tunnel tests, ejection tests, and flight tests. In order to simulate the Mars environment, the flight tests had to be performed at certain Mach and Reynolds numbers. A 50% scale prototype was released from a high-altitude research balloon. The robust design that resulted will handle the uncertainties in the Mars environment.

ARES could be selected as the next Mars Scout Mission. For more details about ARES you can visit NASA’s website. ARES Principal Investigator, Dr. Joel S. Levine, presented ARES at a TEDxNASA event. If you want to build your own paper-made scale model of the ARES Mars Airplane, you can find the model here.

Credits: NASA

On January 3, 2004, the MER-A rover a.k.a. Spirit landed on Mars at the Gusev Crater. The second rover, MER-B a.k.a. Opportunity, followed twenty-one days later and landed at the Meridiani Planum.

They were both designed to operate for three months on the surface of Mars. Five years later, they are still operational and NASA has planned new missions for them.

Considering the harsh conditions on Mars, NASA’s twin rovers have accomplished remarkable things: they have returned a quarter-million images, driven more than thirteen miles, climbed a mountain, descended into impact craters, and survived dust storms. Using the Mars Odyssey orbiter as a communication relay, the rovers have sent more than 36 GB of scientific data back to Earth.

“These rovers are incredibly resilient considering the extreme environment the hardware experiences every day,” said John Callas, JPL project manager for Spirit and Opportunity. “We realize that a major rover component on either vehicle could fail at any time and end a mission with no advance notice, but on the other hand, we could accomplish the equivalent duration of four more prime missions on each rover in the year ahead.”

Credits: NASA

Digging into the MER mission archive, one detail caught my eye. The rovers carry plaques commemorating the crews of Columbia and Challenger, and some of the landmarks surrounding the landing sites of the rovers are dedicated to the astronauts of Apollo 1, Columbia, and Challenger.

Spirit is carrying a plaque commemorating the STS-107 Space Shuttle Columbia crew, which has been mounted on the high-gain antenna of the rover.

The names of the STS-107 crew are inscribed on the plaque: Rick D. Husband, William C. McCool, Michael P. Anderson, Kalpana Chawla, David M. Brown, Laurel B. Clark, and Ilan Ramon. Their names are now looking over the Martian landscapes.

To further honor their memory, the landing site of the MER Spirit is called the Columbia Memorial Station.

Credits: NASA

Three of the hills surrounding the Columbia Memorial Station are dedicated to the Apollo 1 crew: Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chafee. Grissom Hill is located 7.5 km to the southwest of Columbia Memorial Station, White Hill is 11.2 km northwest of the landing site, and Chafee Hill is located 14.3 km south-southwest of the landing site.

The area where Opportunity landed in the Meridiani Planum is called Challenger Memorial Station, in memory of the last crew of the Space Shuttle Challenger: Francis R. Scobee, Michael J. Smith, Judith A. Resnik, Ellison S. Onizuka, Ronald E. McNair, Gregory B. Jarvis, and Sharon Christa McAuliffe. I remember that Sharon Christa McAuliffe was NASA’s first teacher in space.

“The journeys have been motivated by science, but have led to something else important,” said Steve Squyres of Cornell University, in Ithaca, N.Y. Squyres is principal investigator for the rover science instruments. “This has turned into humanity’s first overland expedition on another planet. When people look back on this period of Mars exploration decades from now, Spirit and Opportunity may be considered most significant not for the science they accomplished, but for the first time we truly went exploring across the surface of Mars.”